Exploiting Volatile Emissions From Cotton Bolls as a Management Tool for Stink Bugs

Phytophagous stink bugs (Pentatomidae) are a major pest in B.t. cotton varieties.  There is a need for more effective methods of detection and management of these pests.  In response to herbivory, plants release a variety of volatile compounds that serve as attractants to foraging natural enemies.  The production and emission of volatile compounds following insect feeding is controlled by the phytohormone jasmonic acid (JA).  In this study we examined the timing of induced volatile emissions from cotton bolls following stink bug feeding, as well as the influence of JA-induced volatile emissions on the rate of stink bug egg predation under field conditions.